Solar energy integrated building and solar collector system thereof

ABSTRACT

A complete energy and water integrated building in a number of modules that may be usable together. The prime module is a solar collector-roof focuses sunlight on inverted strips of fluid-cooled photocells. A second module uses the heated photocell cooling-fluid as winter heating or to charge a heat storage device. A third module uses the heat from photocell cooling to concentrate a liquid desiccant. Water vapor is condensed to liquid water in this module. The concentrated desiccant is used to dry air (humidity extraction). External source of water enables the production of ‘added’ distilled water to increase the reserves of water within the building&#39;s water recycle system. Module  5  is a greenhouse with controlled insulation. This module is from liquid foam insulation technology that is in public domain and an invention.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application61/296,431, filed Jan. 19, 2010, entitled Solar Energy IntegratedBuilding and System Thereof, which is incorporated herein by reference.This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application61/285,574, filed Dec. 11, 2009, entitled Concentrated Solar Collector,which is incorporated herein by reference. This application also claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/300,086, filed Feb. 1,2010, entitled Building Integrated Concentrated Photovoltaic/ThermalCollector, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present application relates to a compound solar collector maximizingthe amount of sun collected, especially when used with a parabolicreflector aimed at the compound solar collector and a method and systemusing the solar collector to produce an energy efficient and water selfsufficient building.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The increase in the cost of fuel has directed more effort into theefficacy of alternative energy sources such as solar panels as windpower as well as others. Technologies such as energy recapture inautomobiles that has been readily available for years is now consideredvogue. The present invention provides an affordable, modular housing orbuilding unit with solar energy and water capture to provide a moreenergy efficient building to update housing in a continuation of anoptimization trend proven by hybrid automobile energy recapture.

The present invention according to at least one aspect utilizesimprovement in existing technology as well as a practical approach tomaterial selection to achieve a reasonable efficiency while maintainingthe lowest costs. Customization of the allocation of resources todifferent aspects of the invention allows for the invention to work inmany geographic areas with different climates, sunshine rates and rainamounts.

The present invention according to at least one embodiment uses aninverted secondary solar collect suspended over a primary reflectivetrough to capture concentrated solar energy. Tertiary solar collectorsand reflective surfaces may be used to capture or redirect light whichwould not otherwise be captured by the primary reflector. A desiccantcycle can be connected to the hot water output of the solar system toprovide air conditioning and/or water recapture. A building constructedwith the system may use external surfaces to capture additional water inclimates where water is more scarce. In a preferred embodiment, theoverall height of the building is reduced by using a solar roofaccording to the present invention in place of a standard roof, and byusing a track bearing the secondary solar collector to eliminate theneed for a lengthy pivot arm to retain the secondary collector.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a principal object of a preferred embodiment of theinvention to provide a solar energy system that is energy efficientwhile using common, affordable elements.

It is another object of the invention to provide a solar system thatreplaces a standard roof and is arranged to minimize the overall heightrequirements for the system.

It is a further object of the invention to incorporate the solar systeminto a hot water system of a building to provide heating and cooling aswell as water capture capability.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a modular buildingwith a solar system and water recapture system to provide a buildingcapable of standing alone without relying on commercial or communitywater and energy systems.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which isinexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing itsintended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will be readilyapparent upon review of the following detailed description of theinvention and the accompanying drawings. These objects of the presentinvention are not exhaustive and are not to be construed as limiting thescope of the claimed invention. Further, it must be understood that noone embodiment of the present invention need include all of theaforementioned objects of the present invention. Rather, a givenembodiment may include one or none of the aforementioned objects.

Accordingly, these objects are not to be used to limit the scope of theclaims of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is solar collection system with a downward facing photocellaccording to one aspect of the invention.

FIGS. 2-3 are to an improved solar collection system in accordance withone aspect of the invention.

FIGS. 4-6 show louver wall configurations according to one aspect of theinvention.

FIGS. 7-9 are to a solar collector according to a further embodiment ofthe invention.

FIGS. 10-11 shows a further embodiment of a housing for a solarcollector.

FIGS. 12, 13 and 14A-C show a convex housing for a solar collector.

FIG. 15 shows an adjustment system for a solar collector.

FIG. 16 shows a cover material for use with a solar collector housing.

FIG. 17 shows a building mounted solar collector according to a furtherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 18 shows a cooling system for a solar collector.

FIGS. 19A & B show a desiccant heating system.

FIGS. 20 and 21 show a rail mounted solar collector.

FIGS. 22A-C show a pulley system for adjusting the solar collector.

FIG. 23 shows a solar collector cooling system.

FIG. 24 shows a further embodiment of an adjustment system for a solarcollector system.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show a building incorporating several aspects of thesolar collection system.

FIG. 27 shows a desiccant drier connected to the solar collectionsystem.

FIGS. 28-32 show energy collection from the solar collector.

FIGS. 33-39 show a movable and rotatable embodiment of the solarcollector.

FIG. 40 shows a rail mounted embodiment of the solar collector accordingto a further embodiment.

FIGS. 41-44 show a movable lens system for use with the solar collectionsystem.

FIGS. 45-46 show buildings incorporating a solar collection systemaccording to a further aspect of t the invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Solar collectors are gaining importance in our race to go green. Onesuch use is described in co-pending application U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/948,029, filed Nov. 30, 2007, which is incorporated hereinby reference.

In the co-pending application, a parabolic reflector 312 (FIG. 1) in theshape of a three dimensional trough (see FIG. 3) may be used to reflectsunlight onto a central collector 340. However, since the centralcollector 340 (i.e., a solar collector) itself takes up space, it willcreate a shadow on the parabolic reflector. Additionally, sunlightcoming into the reflector will not bounce straight back up to thereflector but will hit it from a side angle. Therefore, instead ofhaving an opening for the central reflector facing straight down asshown in FIG. 1, it will be advantageous to have a solar collector thathas openings facing downwardly, but also faces to the side withadditional faces to collect indirect light.

FIG. 2 shows one such titled collector 310 having two main collectors314, namely a top collector 316 and bottom collectors 318. Preferably,the two main solar collectors 314 convert the light into electricity,such as by using cooled photovoltaic cells, while the top and bottomsolar collectors are solar heaters heating an associate cooling fluid. Atop solar collector 316 will not prevent the shadowing on the reflector312, but the light will be captured in a solar collector, such as asolar cell or solar heater 316 to maximize the overall efficiency of suncapture. Reflectors 326 may be used to help direct the most amount oflight to the solar collector 316. A double parabola as shown in FIG. 2has been found to efficiently direct light on to the solar collector 316while maintaining a low profile.

Bottom solar collectors 318 may have side facing openings to catch lightreflecting off of the reflector 312 at an acute angle on to a solarheater 336. The faces may be angled or otherwise configured to directthe light to a desired area. In this way the system provides very hotfluids, such as water, in the top and bottom solar heaters and a warmfluid in the solar cell cooling circuit. Both of these temperaturefluids may have different uses in summer and winter such as for examplein a cooling or heating circuit.

Side panels 320 and/or bottom panels 322 between the solar collectorsmay have reflective surfaces to minimally interfere with the amount oflight reaching the various collectors. However, it is not necessary toprovide these additional reflectors to practice the invention.

The main collectors are preferably concentrated collectors. In otherwords, the collectors funnel (“reflect”) light onto a finite, smallerarea where the concentrated light impacts a solar heater or solar cell.

A solar heater uses the light collected to heat water or other fluid. Asolar cell (“photovoltaic cell”) uses the light collected to convertlight into electricity. The parabolic reflectors at 314 may funnel indirect light onto solar cell 332 connected to a fluid carrier such aspipe 330. The pipe may then carry the heated fluid for other purposes.

According to at least one embodiment of the invention, louvers 360 (FIG.3) may be used in conjunction with the reflectors 314 to concentratelight onto the solar heater 332. The individual louver vanes 342 may beplanar as shown in FIG. 4 may be arcuate or curved as shown in FIG. 5.The louvers are angled to direct light coming into to the solar heater.Preferably, the louver blades 342 are angled to spread the light outacross as much of the surface area of the solar heater as possible forheating efficiency. As shown in FIG. 3, the main collectors may bedivided into individual units 350, 352, etc. Each unit funnels/reflectsthe received light to a solar heater or solar cell 332. Photovoltaiccells and other solar converters have an optimal operating temperature,typically around 40 C to keep the resistance in the system down toincrease efficiencies. The louvers help direct and deflect light byspreading light across the solar heater so that the surface of the solarcell is evenly heated to maintain the solar cell surface within its mostefficient operating parameters and to allow efficient cooling.

The louvers further are preferably cross-over louvers. That is thelouvers on the right side of a collector reflect light onto the leftside (or across the entire surface) of the solar heater surface area andthe louvers on the left side of the collector reflect light onto theright side of the solar heater (or across the entire surface). Thisprevents the majority of the light shining on the center by spreadingthe light across the surface. Additionally, the louvers may be designedto spread a larger portion of received light away from the center (e.g.,in a reverse-bell curve or to flatten the overall curve) to regulate themaximum temperature on any particular section of the solar heatersurface.

The louvers may also be used to account for changes in the path of thesun across the earth as the seasons change. The louvers may be moved orrotated as a unit throughout the year to adjust as the travel of the sunmoves relative to the compound solar reflector. Alternatively, if thetrough is in an east to west orientation, the louvers can be used totrack the sun across the sky during the individual day, while the troughis tilted throughout the year to correct for seasonal variations of thesun's path. This allows for the light to be spread evenly across thesolar cell throughout the year.

While the louvers shown have parallel axes, other designs could be used.For example, if the main reflectors were conical instead of parabolic, afan shaped louver could be used as shown in FIG. 6.

Further Embodiments Using Solar Collectors

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a buildingmay be constructed to take advantage the solar collectors. Such buildingborn collectors may be termed Building Integrated ConcentratedPhotovoltaic/Thermal (“BICPVT”) collectors, which may include atransparent roof within which sunlight is concentrated so that itprincipally is focused onto fluid cooled photocells (typicallymulti-junction photocells). A building for use with such a collector isshown below. Because of the construction of the buildings and thetroughs as well as the geometry of the primary collector, some of thelight will not be collected within the photocells. However, thatnon-photocell light may be directed to additional thermal collectors.Thus, besides providing shelter, the roof will provide electricity andtwo sources of heat, namely (1) Heat from the cooling of the photocells,and (2) heat that was focused onto thermal collectors.

The preferred orientation of the primary collector circular trough in aneast-west orientation and modifications to the secondary collector,enable a simpler collector with simpler tracking, while taking advantageof a bigger diameter trough so as to use the concentration ratioscapabilities of the photocells (now with state of the art can handleapproximately 1000 to 1500 suns). However, north to south orientationscould be used without departing from the scope of invention by makingadjustments to the orientation and/or rotation of the collector.

The BICPVT advantageously lends itself to construction using simplematerials. The transparent cover (i.e., the roof) of the reflectivecollector may be of cheap corrugated plastics even though they are lesstransparent than glass, and the reflective material coating thereflector may be a polished aluminum foil that is less reflective thanpolymer coated silver. However as more cheap roof area is required toproduce the desired light concentration, the compromise is mitigated bythe fact that the proposed roof (reflective area without secondarytargets) is of comparable cost to that of a standard, non-solar roofingmaterial That is, the additional roof is of little cost differenceversus a traditional roof. Further, as the primary collector area(1,500×(1−inefficiency)) for target photocell uses a narrower longerstrip so as to enable simpler tracking, the geometry lends itself toanother use step, namely the use step in building integration beingvertically that of the distance of a floor to roof. In other words, theinvention can take the place of one portion of one floor (“story”) of ahouse.

According to at least one embodiment of the invention, a typical troughfor the BICPVT may be 16 feet wide and 8-10 feet tall. The collectedlight from a section of trough may being longer and thinner than thatprevious BICPVTs, which were typically about 12″ wide×36″. As acompromise, the current BICPVT is about 4″ wide×84″ long (on each side).This enables more use of non imaging optics (e.g., non-photovoltaiccells) which in turn enable very simple manual tracking of the BICPVTthroughout the seasons to optimal position and very low material costs.This design also provides a greater safety factor required for cruderoptics (sometimes causing narrower focus onto part of the photocell, andthus reduces the danger of an overload), and thus the safety factor isin that the photocells maximum input capacity is not used, avoiding thiscontingency. Thus simplicity of operation and construction is gainedwhile compromising the potential to produce more energy per a unit ofarea of collector. This compromise of area-efficiency for simplicity andlower area costs may be beneficial in smaller deployments such as houseroofs and annexes to existing homes is possibly with manual operation,versus commercial large-box store (supermarkets, etc.) where BICPVT ispreferably fully automated and where it may make more economic sense totake advantage of economies of scale and construct a BICPVT with moreexpensive, more efficient materials.

A table of the components is provided below:

TABLE 1 REF. DESCRIPTION 1. A preferred arrangement of a photocell andsecondary collector (side view) top and bottom; reflects lightvertically onto photocells as shown in FIG. 8A 2. A preferred Thermalcollector (secondary) and thermal collector tube (side view) as shown inFIG. 8A. 3. A pivot from center of curvature of the primary reflector.At least two pivots interconnected lower down by a beam 21 onto whichcollectors 1 and 2 are mounted as shown in FIG. 8A. 4. A cooling tubefor photocell cooling as shown in FIG. 8B. 5. Multi-junction photocellmounted onto cooling tube as shown in FIG. 8B. 6. A glass lens overphotocell that directs light to impact photocell as shown in FIG. 8B. 7.A thermal collector tube (to produce higher temperature cooling fluid)as shown in FIG. 8B. 8. A secondary reflector for thermal tube as shownin FIG. 8B. 9. A glass or other clear or textured cover to protectworks, roof, light directing (may have anti- reflecting surface) asshown in FIG. 9B. Note that side 9 (summer orientation) may be largerthat winter orientation (if summer needs warrant to be increased toplacate summer needs. Same applies for winter. 10. A cover analogous tocover 9, but for winter. 9 & 10 are concave alternates to a convex cover13. See FIG. 9B. 11. A secondary non-imaging collector 1, may be two(top and bottom) continuous curved sheets between pivoted ends. 11 is aV shaped divider reflector that reflects light laterally so that itimpacts each photocell in each divided compartment as shown in FIG. 9C.12. A primary reflector as shown in FIG. 14B. 13. Convex cover of 12 asshown in FIG. 14C. 14. Detail of cover 12, typical construction as shownin FIG. 12. 15. Detail of cover 12, optional anti reflective surface oncover as shown in FIG. 13. 16. Detail of cover 12 option usingcorrugated plastic as shown in FIG. 14A. 17. A crank for manual trackingas shown in FIG. 15. 18. A worm gear, shaft, winches on shaft as shownin FIG. 15 19. A pulley and hole into roof collector area through whichcable pass as shown in FIG. 15. 20. A system like pulley 19, but oncounter weight side as shown in FIG. 15. 21. At least two pivots fromwhich collector array is suspended as shown in FIG. 15. 22. A walkway soas to provide access for easy cleaning of cover as shown in FIG. 11. 23.Typical rays' paths as they enter and impact different collectors asshown in FIG. 11. 24. A collector array as shown in FIG. 15. 25. Acounterweight to keep 22 in desired location as shown in FIG. 15. 26. Atrack for traversing the collector 1, 2 across the primary collector asshown in FIGS. 8A and 15.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FOR INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 7-8B, sections and details of the secondarycollector and targets are shown. FIG. 8A shows a section along lines8A-8A of FIG. 7 wherein the set of secondary collectors are shown on apivoting track or beam 26 between the two pivoting arms 3, 21 spacedaxially apart and suspended from the center of curvature of the primarycollector 14. The pivot rotates approximately 23 degrees as it tracksthe sun as the sun's path moves south in the winter and north in thesummer. The rotation may be automatic, but is preferably manuallyupdated or rotated by the user.

The primary collector 12 is preferably of a circular section cut with atilt that depends on latitude. In the BICPVT the trough preferably runseast-west. The overall cover of the collector, including cover sections10, 9, and 13, slopes towards the south if the BICPVT is located in thenorthern hemisphere, and to the north, if the BICPVT is in the southernhemisphere. The cover may be made of several flat sheets of transparentmaterial with an angle such that it is concave (FIG. 9B) or convex (FIG.14C) such that light (for the appropriate time of year) impacting thecover shines through the cover rather than being reflected and isdesigned to not interfere with rail 26.

The outer surface of the cover may include an antireflective groove suchthat light impacting the cover early or late in the day is transmittedinto the roof, onto the primary collector, and then onto the secondarycollector/focuser, and finally to the photocells or the secondary tothermal collector/tubes.

Thus as shown in FIG. 11, a ray R1 would enter the roof through thecover, 13 impact the primary collector 14, and be reflected onto thesecondary collector 24, and then onto the photocell 5 (FIG. 8B). A rayR2 would also enter the roof through the cover 13, impact the primarycollector 14, be reflected onto the secondary collector 24, and thenonto the photocell 5 (FIG. 8B).

A ray R3 would enter the roof through the cover 13, impact the primarycollector 14, is reflected onto the secondary collector 24, and thenonto the photocell 5. This indicative of the fact that most of the raysthat enter the cover impact the photocell. Ray R4 enters the roofthrough the cover, impacts the primary collector 14 at the outer area,then is reflected onto secondary collector 8 (FIG. 8B), then isreflected onto the thermal collector tube.

Ray R5, like ray R1, enters the roof through the cover, impacts theprimary collector 12 at the outer area, then is reflected onto secondarycollector 8, then is reflected onto the thermal collector tube but frombelow. This shows that a smaller percentage of light that enters thecover at the edges goes towards heating. Ray R6 enters the cover 13 ontoa top collector 29, where it reflects off the secondary reflector 30 ofthe collector 29 and then onto the heat collecting tube. The value oflight from the center is recovered as heat by this means.

Light early or later in the day is weak. Thus if it is overlapped andfocused onto the collectors it should not overload the photocells. Theearly/late time-of-day ray R7 (FIG. 16) impacting the anti-reflectivegroove, is adsorbed and is conducted into the collector. The mid-daytime-of-day rays R8 & R9 (FIG. 16) impacting the anti-reflective groove,and or the flat area and are adsorbed and conducted into the collector.

Light intended for the photocells passes through the cover, reflects offthe primary reflector 14, then impacts the photocell directly or impactone of four surfaces of the secondary collector. Possible configurationsof these surfaces are shown in FIG. 13-14C.

The plastic top sheets may be corrugated perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the BICPVT to help capture light from the morningand late afternoon or other stray light.

Thus, electricity is produce from sunlight by the photocells, lowertemperature heat is collected from the cooling of the photocells, andhigher temperature heat is collected from the two lower collector/tubesand the top collector/tube.

Tracking can be manual as movements of the secondary collector/targetssuspension are executed about 40 time per year with small movements ofthe pivoted array 224, over about 23 degrees each way (going intowinter) and (going into summer); Sheet # 5, FIG. 9, 21. A simple crankonto a worm gear/shaft winches 18 (preferably more than one winch). Twoor more parallel thin cables 24 from the winches 18, on the pulleys 19,pass into the collector area and shift the collector array laterally(being pivoted about, 21 at both ends). The crank operator looks at anamp-meter, and determines where is just-past-optimum, and stopscranking. A counter weight 23 attached via a pulley 20, assures that thecollector array is stable in the desired location. This device mayinstead be easily automated with a feedback device and a measure ofoptimum.

CLEANING: As dust and grime settle onto the surface of the cover, thecover should be cleaned from time to time. Two paths 22 or walkways, oneon the top edge and the other at the lower edge of the cover, provideaccess for cleaning.

A services integrated building comprising a number of modularcomponents, namely, Solar Energy, Water, and Plants is shownincorporating aspects of the solar collector described above. One aspectof the overall invention is to a completely energy and water integratedbuilding in modules. Many of the modules are integrated as parts of abuilding shown in FIGS. 17 et seq., but need not all be used together.An overview of the modules according this aspect of the inventions is asfollows:

The prime module is a solar collector-roof that focuses sunlight oninverted strips of fluid-cooled photocells mounted in a number ofprimary collectors formed as troughs on the roof. Sunlight heats thephotocells to produce electricity and a network of cooling fluidsmaintains the photocells at their optimal temperature. The solarcollector photocells provide energy for the other modules as well aselectricity for the building's use. The modular roof containing thesolar troughs is also a “roof” for the structure directly replacing anormal roof to save materials and to lower the height requirement of thebuilding. The solar system may be placed directly on the roofing beamsor where a normal roof would be installed.

A second module uses the heated photocell cooling-fluid as winterheating, or to charge a heat storage device (not shown) so that thebuilding may be heated when there is no sunlight. A third module (FIGS.19A&B) uses the heat from photocell cooling to concentrate a liquiddesiccant. Water vapor is condensed to liquid water in this module. Theconcentrated desiccant is used to dry air (humidity extraction). Thethird module has two dependant subsystems: Concentrated desiccant isused to dry internal air and enable air conditioning in a waterevaporator cooler having dry internal air; a closed system, and to dryexternal air by trickling concentrated desiccant over another part ofthe roof. This external source of water enables the production of‘added’ distilled water to increase the reserves of water within thebuilding's water recycle system to form the fourth module. A fifthmodule is a greenhouse with controlled insulation. This module is fromliquid foam insulation technology. Modules 1-3 and 5 complete thisapplication.

Modules 4, 6, 7 and are engineered components that are dependent onmodules 1-3 & 5. Modules 1-8 complete the integration system. Module 4comprises five parts, namely modules 4 a-f: (4 f) anaerobically digestssewage, kitchen waste solids, yard-waste, and algae to biogas andreduces BOD. Further, water from anaerobic digester is sent to asequence of three algae cultivators with slanting translucent condenserroofs. Distillate from (4 f) is mixed with untreated grey sewage instorage tank of (4 e). (4 e) treats gray sewage in a rotating contactorto remove BOD, then to an algae cultivation tank. The roof of (4 e) is aslanting transparent cover condenser. Distilled water from (4 e) is sentto storage tank (4 d). Water from (4 d) is micro-filtered, and UVsterilized as redundant processing and sent to a day tank for use. (4 c)rain water harvesting from the roof is sent to the storage of (3 a),then if in excess to storage of (4 e) raw grey water. (5) is agreenhouse condenser with variable insulation and insulation. The dryair impacting the water wetted surface of the plants or passing throughthe damp growth media evaporates the water and enables evaporativecooling. It has two modes (5 a) one that trellis covered so that insummer leaves on an external trickle irrigated vine on the trellis shadethe greenhouse in summer but, in winter, the leaves drop so that fullsunlight enters, heating and encouraging plant growth. (5 b) agreenhouse with dual covers where between a stable foam may beintroduced, shading and insulating in summer days or, insulating onwinter nights. (5 a) is an alternate to (5 b), or they may worktogether; (5 a) producing seasonal (summer) shading and winter exposure,the other insulating when in winter the heat loss is greater than theheat gain. (6) An IT/telecommunications module of hardware and softwarethat enable remote security and operations monitoring, distancelearning, education and employment, and internal control of prioritizedobjectives. (7) A biogas compressor with CO2 and humidity stripping,with storage. And (8) an electric/biogas hybrid auto with a liquid fuelalternative (by others). The auto is adapted to be an emergency stand-bygenerator of electricity and heat for the building.

One aspect of the invention relates to Modules (1-3, and 5). Certaininventions have inherent techno-economic benefits, derived from multifunctionality, such as in building integration. The two or three typesof roof in this invention cluster act as in one regard, a roof that is asolar concentrator, and two, a roof that is an external humiditystripping platform. In both cases, the roof may be used also to harvestrain water. The third type of roof is that of a variable shade andinsulation greenhouse. This roof enables the direct entry of lightduring the day and manages the escape of heat. The wetted surfaces ofthe plants in the greenhouse when fanned with dry air, act asevaporators to produce cooling in summer. In winter the plants are rootirrigated and the amount of moisture entering the air is greatlyreduced.

Further, the invention-cluster uses the focused sunlight from one roof,to produce electricity via liquid cooled photocells. The liquid isheated in the process of keeping the photocells cooled, thereby bothmaintaining photocell efficiency and pre-heating the cooling liquid. Ifthat liquid is further heated by focused sunlight (without photocell),its ultimate temperature is increased. If that hotter liquid is used ina system, because delta T is increased, the component using hot liquidmay be reduced in size, thereby reducing investment costs.

If there is flexibility in how much roof-focused sunlight is used toproduce electricity and heat, VS heat alone, scalable systems may bedesigned that can accommodated different needs ratios, and thusdifferent markets. Thus, in some areas, the desert for example, a ratioof more water and air conditioning is needed and there is need forelectricity. In other areas of more cloud and ground water, less waterand air conditioning is needed, but the same electricity needs exist.Thus, for the USA and many countries, by increasing thephotocell/pre-heat to post heat ratio, Northeastern markets make a bestfit, and, by decreasing the photocell/preheat ratio and by takingadvantage of more sunlight, Southwestern arid markets may be a best fit.There will be a wider fit, therefore, for more regions of morecountries. This enables production and marketing economies of scale,which in turn is an added efficiency factor of the invention.

Thus, when all of the prime benefit factors are added; and the enablingfactors, and the flexibility factors, this invention that provides theprime, and enables all of the factors is of major total benefit.

Description of the Modules

The description relates to a prime invention and enabled embodiments ofthe invention. These are described as numbered Modules.

The solar concentrating roof 110 comprises a parallel array ofcut-circular concave troughs 224 (as a scalloped pattern), sloping downand to the south for a building located north of the equator. Thetroughs would slope down and north for a building located south of theequator. These troughs may be lined with highly reflective film or otherreflective surface that reflects and focuses light onto a series oftargets, namely fluid cooled photocells in the upper section of thetarget. The collectors also produce producing electricity, a heatedliquid, and photo-thermal targets (without photocells) in the lowersection of the target strips. The ratio of the two is adjusted to fitthe needs of the building.

In winter, the photocells are cooler and operate more efficiently andthere is a larger ratio of focused defused light. The output fluidtemperature is lower, but there is less need for high temperature. Thehot cooling fluid is used for space heating and/or use in a two partenergy storage system: (A) a higher temperature phase change system atabout 7° C., and (B) a warm mass low temperature storage system at about4° C. The heating system is designed to draw on the heat from the warmmass as a first priority. In winter or summer some heat is used for ‘hotwater’ heating.

Modules (3)-(3 a) In Summer, as the concentrated sunlight focusedphotocells are cooled by circulating liquid, the heat transfer raisesthe liquids temperature to about 6° C. in the upper target strips, andthe subsequent photo-thermal section then raises the cooling fluid'stemperature to about 13° C. The electricity is used, stored inbatteries, or sold to the grid. The hot cooling liquid is used toenergize an air conditioning system by concentrating a desiccant. Thefluid exits the desiccant cooling system at about 50 C. The warm fluidis sent to the bottom of a stack to heat/driven a stack effect airdrive. The ambient external air pulled by the stack-effect is used topush additional air through the air conditioning condenser-system andthrough the water condensing system in parallel with the desiccantconcentrator. The fluid returns to the photocell a few degrees aboveambient. It is then used to cool the photocells and repeat the cycle bya pump. A more comprehensive process is described in further detail inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/485,264, filed Jun. 16,2009, entitled Waste Heat Air Conditioner, which is incorporated hereinby reference.

Modules (3)-(3 b) In summer though the air conditioner uses some liquiddesiccant liquid to dry air internal air for air conditioning, some ofthe desiccant trickle over an external roof surface where the desiccantabsorbs water from external sources. Heating desiccant concentrationproduces water vapor. This added water vapor from outside of the airconditioned closed system is condensed to water and is used as storedpotable water, and to be added to the systems captive water.

In winter, treated water is used to humidify the air and as heating.This humidity is condensed as distilled water on interior surface of thegreenhouse, and the condensate used as primary water. Precipitation,more prevalent in winter, is also collected and stored as raw water,captive within the system.

Module (4) (Not shown) After each typical use, the water is treated indifferent recycle systems depending on its contamination. By using thesame water over and over within the building, the water needs areplacated. A small quantity escapes in air exchange and as sewage sludge.That which is added to the sewage loop and that which escapes from vaporleaks, is more than compensated for by precipitation and by adsorptionfrom external surfaces.

In greater detail, the roof mounted solar collector system 110 includeson a surface of the reflector a trough shaped primary reflector 114. Thetroughs are preferably sunk in so that the tops of the troughs areconnected together to form the top planar surface of the roof, howeverthis is not necessary in all aspects of the invention. At any one time,a ray of direct sunlight impacts on reflector 110 and is reflected ontothe secondary collector 112 which is rotated downward so that theopening in the parabolic reflector faces the bottom of the trough, ormay be formed according to any of the embodiments described above.According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary reflector is locatedone half diameters of curve from the primary collector/reflector 110.The secondary collector is made of a thick sheet of a good thermalconducting material such as copper of aluminum. This is to conduct theheat from the focused light from the photocells to the fluid within thesecondary collector. The secondary collector is also directly on an eastwest axis where the surface of secondary collector is perpendicular tothe east-west component of the incoming direct sunlight. The secondarycollector may be a set of strip photocells that are fluid cooled asshown in diagrammatic cross-section of FIG. 18. The secondary collectoris ‘roller’ mounted on a on a set of tracks 122. The secondary collectoris fed cooling fluid through flexible tubes from a header 124. Theheader is fed through an inlet 126. The cooling fluid passesthrough/along the secondary collector completely filling the cavity 128within the secondary collector. After reaching the lower end of thesecondary collector, the heated fluid exits by a flexible tube to fluidcollector 130. The hot fluid is conveyed to the system within by piping132. The header 124 is fed from within via piping 132 or appropriateplumbing. A pump circulates the fluid as necessary. These tracks 122 arecurved parallel and are located approximately one half diameter from theprimary reflector 110, so that the photocells in the secondary collectormounted on the tracks are at or very close to ½ D the focus of thereflected incoming sunlight, as they extent slightly at ½D to capturescattered sunlight from surface imperfections of 110. As the earthrotates and the sun appears to travel east to west, a cable 134 pullsthe secondary collectors west to east. Each day as the sun passes over,the rate of movement and the time of movement is such the secondarycollector is directly between the sun and where it impacts the east-westcomponent of being vertical to the surface on the primary reflector 110.The focused rays reflected from the primary reflector 110, sun raysimpact the secondary reflector, and the sunlight is converted toelectricity by the photocells and to useful heat by the passage ofcirculating fluid.

In module 4, the cooling high boiling point stable fluid that was usedto cool the photocells (as described further below) and then heated to amore useful temperature goes to two principal heat exchangers 140,(FIGS. 19A&B) where it heats a desiccant. The hot desiccant isconcentrated to a desired specific gravity such that it functions as aliquid desiccant without over concentration to the extent thatcrystallization becomes a problem, or without under concentration whereit use to dry air in the air conditioning system.

As shown in FIG. 27, hot cooling fluid comes from the collector(symbolically shown as 240) in a closed loop 150 and passes through theheat exchanger 151, heating the circulating desiccant 152. The hot fluidafter heating the desiccant may be used to heat water for hot water in adifferent cycle (not shown) or to sterilize water, etc. All the hotwater then goes to a large heat exchange of cooling fins at the base ofa stack (see FIG. 26). The hot water is cooled by the air as it passesinto the stack and out. The air in the stack may be blown through by afan, but is preferably drawn in the stack by the heating cycle like thedraw on a fireplace. The cooling fluid now cooled is circulated again tocool the photocells, then the reflectors, and then to be heated in thethermal collectors at the edge of the reflectors in the secondarycollector(s).

The hot desiccant 152 enters the stripper 153. In the stripper, avertical torus, the hot fluid passes through a series of baffles 154.Air dry flowing upwards in the baffles remove vapor from exposed the hotdesiccant. The combined air and vapor 155 flow to the other side of thetorus. This side's skin has cooling fins in a stack. The cool skincondenses the water vapor and cools the air. The drier, cool air passesthrough the flow liquid/gas separating base. The air re-circulatesthrough the baffles; the water is withdrawn and used in air conditioningor elsewhere.

The desiccant with less water pools at 157 and flows out of the stripper153. It re-enters the specific gravity control tank 158. The controltank is located below the pool 157 to enable gravity flow. As thecooling fluid 150 circulates and more and more water is removed, thecontrol tank's specific gravity increases. Reference 159 is an invertedweighted float valve. It is weighted such that it will move upwardsopening the valve when the specific gravity in the contained fluid 158is enough to raise the float. When the valve 159 opens, fluid from tank158 at a determined specific gravity flow out of tank 158 to tank 160.Tank 160 is a concentrated desiccant storage tank. From 160,concentrated desiccant is used to dry air (not shown) such as forexample to condition a living space in a building. In the process ofdrying air, the desiccant becomes diluted. The diluted desiccant entersat 165 to a dilute desiccant storage tank 164. As the fluid in tank 158is withdrawn, the normal float valve 162 senses the reduced water level,and introduces dilute desiccant to be concentrated to the desiredspecific gravity and functionality.

Or heated fluid from heater 140 is sent to a heat exchange withincontainment such as that at 126. It that containment where it heats aphase change substance 127 so that heat may be stored, it then goes ontoa second heat exchange 128 that is a mass, low-heat storage containment.

After heat exchanges 119 or 128 and 130, fluid 4 f is conducted to afinal heat exchange 131 in the base of the stack 132 system. Externalair passing through various devices that need cooling, is heated in 131and the hot air causing a stack effect to motivate air, the fluid 4 f iscooled to near ambient so that it may effectively cool the photocellupon circulation, and the mass of motivated air better cool other itemsthat also need to be cooled. The stack therefore acts as a large fan.

In module 5, the track 205 (FIG. 24) need not be perfectly circular. Itinitially has a circular curved same radius of curvature as the firstreflector 114, but in the act of correcting focus's location, smallvariations in curvature may be deliberately introduced to the track 122.This variation in the vertical dimension is so that should there bevariances in the location of the focus of 110; the vertical varianceswill enable adjustment so that the track follows the actual constructedfocus rather than the theoretical. The constructed focus may differ fromthe theoretical vertically and laterally. In addition, there areturnbuckles on 206 the cable attaching the target the secondarycollector 240 to the drive, so that the location of the collector 112 iswhere it most intersects the focus of the collector system. Theadjustments to the track and the rotation system below need only be usedfor fine adjustments.

Further, as the pulley mechanism of 214 rotates 214 b at one revolutionper day around an axis 214 c, the radius of the pulley may be increasedor decreased may differ causing the line 206 to accelerate or decelerate(FIG. 24) so as to reflect a local need for change in the laterallocation of the fine target focus. Thus in the line of receptive targetslocation passing over the focus of the primary reflector, the targetslocation may be shifted vertically and laterally so that the target linestrait or slightly wobbly is by adjustment where the focus of theprimary reflector is, optimizing transference of energy to the target.

Monitoring for optimization may be done by tracking the energy output ofeach length of secondary collector as the secondary reflector completesa day's track. And, at the same exercise, a thermal photographic studyis made on the edges of the secondary collector. If there are hot edges,one knows that the real focus has crossed the edge or is close to theedge. Then that particular location is adjusted so that the focus iscontained under and within secondary collector. Based on the results ofthe monitor, one will know whether secondary collector is at the correctlocation at the correct time for any primary reflector. Thus byadjusting the line 206 and 205 using the rotation system 214 c, the lineof focus can be made to match the line of collection of the target.

The fine target collector 240 is an alternate to secondary reflector112, a course target. Whereas the photocells in the secondary collectormay span a width of a few inches and the types of photocells in thesecondary collector 112 are simple and cheaper, and subject to lowerlight intensity of about 10 to 30 suns, the photocell strip of the finesecondary collector 240 is in the often order of a fraction of an inchand light intensities are about 200 to 1000 suns. Thus even with thedefused light concentrator 241 with a width of −1-4 inches prior to thephotocell, fine secondary collector 240 requires a smoother trackingpulley mechanism and a post construction adjustment. Thus, the two linesthat are parallel and superimposed can be adjusted. As collector 110 isthe roof and is big and fixed, it is for secondary collector 112 or finesecondary collector 240 to be adjusted as shown.

FIG. 28 shows fine secondary collector 240 the following: the fluidcooled backing 241 for the photocell, the photo cell 242, the fluidcooled reflector 243 rotating the slope of segment of the beam andfocusing it onto the photo cell. Thus the wider cut band of light fromthe primary reflector onto the photocell harvests as much light aspossible and as intense as possible onto the photocell. The fluidheating collector 244 at the outer edge of the cooled reflector 243salvaging the outer band of energy from the bell shaped curve ofintensity.

The pumped ambient temperature cooling fluid is first used to cool thephotocells; in so doing it is preheated. It is next used to cool thereflectors where the fluid becomes hotter. It is finally used in fluidheating collector 244 where it salvages the outer band of light andbecome further heated. The collector of 244 is also a highly reflectivesurface. It reflects the fringe or scattered light from the primaryreflector onto a black light adsorbing tube that conducts fluid all orsome that was used to cool the photocells. The light receiving face offluid heating collector 244 is covered in glass so as to conserve heat.Thus, the fringe light at the edge of the bell shaped curve ofproduction from primary reflector incorporating scatter and defects inthe primary reflector, is salvaged and used to further heat coolingfluid 150, converting it to a more useful higher temperature.

A strong spine 245 is connected by curved ribs 246 onto the finesecondary collector 240. The fine secondary collector 240 is preferablymade of pure copper or aluminum and is soft and somewhat pliable. Byadjusting the curved ribs with a slight bend or straightened, a smallamount of bend may be introduced to the fine secondary collector.

The energy from the primary reflector at the side of photocell 242 isreflected by the fluid cooled reflector 243 onto the photocell 242. Thusthe energy capture of the photocell is the energy 247 b (FIG. 31), thesum of the energy 247 plus the energy 248 minus a small percentageadsorbed by reflector supports 248 a. The fringe energy that would havebeen wasted is captured by 244 as energy 249 (FIGS. 29-32).

Reference 244 a in FIG. 28 shows a strip of removable insulation. Thisinsulation is removed when the system is being thermo-photographed.Excess heat at 244 would mean that the focus and the target aremiss-aligned.

The fine secondary collector 240 is mounted on rollers on a track (FIG.40) similar to the secondary collector 112. In mounting fine secondarycollector 240, the focus of the primary reflector should be just behindthe photocell's face.

FIG. 23 shows a post pre-heat photo thermal target. It runs on the sametrack as the secondary collector of which it is an extension Directsunlight reflected from 110 is reflected of X1 or impacts X2 atransparent tube. The light from X1 and 110 passes through X2 and isadsorbed on a black non reflective surface of X3. Between X2 and X3 isan air space or vacuum to provide insulation. The intense light adsorbedby X3 heats X3. The heat from X3 is conducted the fluid 4 f passingthrough X3.

The east-west position of the secondary collector is controlled by thecable 206 to the secondary collector. See FIG. 24. The tracking pullingmechanism connected a shaft 209 wrapped with cable 206 pulls secondarycollector 204 so that it is in the right place at the right time. Acounter weight wrapped onto a rotating shaft 208 onto the cable 206pulls secondary collector 204 back to a ‘rest’ or unengaged positionwhen a problem is detected. When a problem is detected, for example;iced track blocking movement of the secondary collector, or no coolingfluid being circulated a tensioning pulley in the tracker, releases, andthe pull is disengaged and the counter weight on 206 pulls 2044 back toa rest position or backwards out of sunlight. By pulling the secondarycollector out of light, the correction removes the secondary collectorfrom either burning the tracking motor obstructed track or burning thephotocells no coolant flow resulting in over heated cells.

Because of the tracked best orientation of the secondary collector 204,not only is the underside of the secondary collector lined with fluidcooled photocells, but so too is a strip of photocells in a trough atthe top. Thus, direct sunlight impacting a reflective layer 213 on thesecondary collector, is reflected onto a photocell strip 212. Thephotocell strips 212 are all backed with a flexible pasty heatconducting layer usually a copper flake paste saturated fabric so thatthe heat from non-converted light-to-electricity on the photocells maybe removed. This photocell backing of paste/fabric wraps a copper linedsegmented containment 210 that is full of nonvolatile liquid. In thatliquid and in intimate contact with the copper-paste backed photocellsbut on the inside of the secondary collector circulating in and alwaysfull of fluid. The secondary collector is made up of segments 210through which fluid is passed in a flow from one segment to another, sothat each segment is always full of fluid. This fluid passing in thetubes within segment 210. Segment 210 c from the segment above flowsinto 210 a, to the bottom of the segment. The fluid flows up withinsegment 210 as in segment 210 d always keeping 210 full as it flows fromthe lower end up to the higher end and flows into tube 210 b. Tube 210 bflows to the successor segment. In this manner is heated and transportsthe accumulated heat away from the photocells 212 to be used for HVAC,water heating, and so on. The fluid cooled in its use is returned via apump to remove heat from the photocells 212 over and over.

The segments each have an air vent 210 e to allow for minor changes influid height, but to assure that there is minimal pressure within eachsegment. The reason to minimize the pressure or any change in pressureis to assure that the sectional shape of the segments do not change andthus affect the contact with the photocell; enabling reduced cooling. Inthe event of a storm, the secondary collector may be manually wrappedwith strong fabric protecting it from wind driven projectiles. Line 206may be locked so that the lateral force is not transferred to the drivemechanism. The upper side of the secondary collector is alwayspositioned to collect light. A ray X striking the curved reflectivesurface Y is reflected and focused onto photocells 212. The reflectivesurface Y is insulated so that heat in 10 does not escape through thesurface Y.

The tracking device is a simple amplified lever angular constant speedmovement VS a line. This contrast of simple rotating levered angularmovement enabled by a constant speed clock motor against a straightline, gives the appropriate velocity vs. time of day to the tracker.That is the track surface velocity of the secondary collector at noon ismuch faster than that at 5 PM. This simple device motorized by anelectric clock motor enables such action see FIG. 24.

A one-revolution-per-day geared clock motor 213 is connected to a lever214. The small geared motor rotates the levers pulling thecounterweighted cable back and forth. This motion when transferred tothe secondary collector via cable 206 such that during the sunlight thesecondary collector is in the position of the suns focus reflected fromthe primary collector. Should the fluid circulation stop, the lack ofpressure on a sprung diaphragm withdraws the slip cog part of 13 freeingthe cable from 13 and the secondary collector is pulled to an out offocus position.

In summer and winter the fluid pump, triggered by a photocell, operatesto cover effective sunlight hours. If there is pressure, the arm movesand pulls a cable. The velocity of the cable is amplified by gearing toreplicate position on the track 205 that is congruent with tracking timeand distance profile. From the gearing a cable extends upwards andbecomes 206 that pulls the secondary collector to the correct positionas if tracking. Also in that gear is a slip cog that disengages thetraction on the cable so that when there is no fluid pressure, the cableattached to the gearing slips back to out of focus position. The cable206 attaches to a pulley mounted on track 205 for each the secondarycollector independently. From each the secondary collector the cablegoes to another independent pulley on the other side of the collectorarray. Thus with a very simple device the positions are very close tobeing optimum for each collector.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show a building, not to scale, representing a typicaldeployment for the system. The stack at the top of the building is foran air conditioning system. It shows the flow of desiccant on the top ofthe roof. Concentrated desiccant exits at 214, flows over the roof 215.From the exposure to humid air at night the desiccant extracts water.The diluted desiccant is collected by a guttering 216 which may traversethe whole building or a part of it. If rain falls, the initial flow withdesiccant is collected in a surge tank. When this tank is full, thesuccessor fluid is re-routed to a raw water tank. The water with somedesiccant from the surge tank not shown is evaporated to concentrate therain washed desiccant. The bypass of rain after the surge tank is fullis sent to the raw water tank to be distilled. A common desiccant iscalcium chloride. Should a small quantity enter the raw water it costwould be insignificant. Calcium chloride is non toxic.

FIGS. 33-36 show a representation of the fine secondary collector 240,with reflector walls 270 a and 270 b visibility obstructed by edge 244,the solar thermal adsorber at the outer edge of 243, and obstructed by243, the fluid cooled reflector that focuses light onto a central striphad 270 a and 270 b not been there. The fine secondary collector 240 isshown in its normal position but without its normal slope towards thesouth had the collector been located in the north. The lines thatmanipulate 270 a and 270 b like louvers are not shown. The face of thefine secondary collector is facing downwards to adsorb light reflectedupwards by the primary reflective trough. Line 277 provides compressedair with jets 272 that blow cool 270 a and 270 b. Cooling fins and formstabilizers 273 are shown on the backs of 270 a and 270 b.

Walls 270 a and 270 b are pivot mounted on axels 74. There areextensions (not shown) to the back of walls 270 a and 270 b that allowroom for the photocell cooling line and backing 241. These arms areconnected in pairs 270 a and 270 b. When pulled in either directionalong 240, 270 a and 270 b move in tandem like louvers, changing theshape of the dominant collector orientation formed by the four sidedcollector, the two parallel mirror image water cooled reflectors 243,and 270 a and 270 b. The change of shape is the effect of the movementof 270 a and 270 b about the axis 274. See especially FIGS. 34 and37-39. This change in orientation adjusts the collector surfacescollectively called 277 such that light from a lower angle relative to240, i.e., in winter is focused more directly onto photocell 243 afterbeing collected and focused by the new shape 277.

FIGS. 37 & 39 show the underside of the collector 240 with 270 a and 270b in their original and ending positions. It shows the effect of movingthe louver line 276 and how it changes the shape of 277 the light trapof 243 and 270 a and 270 b. The figures show only the reflectors of 277and the line that moves them relative to the photocell 242 and itscooling tube with liquid 241. It does not show the compressed aircooling supply line or cooling jets.

In order to maximize easing of peak demand of midsummer, should theelectric system be connected to the grid, The line 277 is shown in FIGS.34 and 37 in the neutral position wherein the light focusing geometryworks best. However, in mid winter in the north the sun's path is about23 degrees towards the southern horizon. To accommodate this change inthe sun's location, and with the wish to capture and focus as muchsunlight as possible onto the photocell, the line 277 is pulled, andthat pulls the lever ob the back of 270 a and 270 b so that they rotateto a new position about the axel 274. This new position introduces abias of non-imaging focus north or south as shown in FIGS. 38 and 39.Thus, with a single axis tracking of 240 and with the ability toseasonally position a bias in 270 a and 270 b, most of the benefits oftwo-axis tracking is obtained. This is obtained while keeping 110 fixed,which could be fixed in the form of a roof. Thus the benefits can beintegrated into a building, and not only to produce electricity, butalso to capture heat for local consumption HVAC and hot water forexample.

As mentioned previously walls 270 a and 270 b move in a north southdirection but the outer edge of which defining a larger rectanglerelative to the photo cell rectangular surface 277. On the south edge ofwalls 277 for collectors deployed in the northern hemisphere of earth,there is a link 282 to a Freneau lens 278,281. (FIGS. 41-44) On the eastand western edge of 278 there is a protrusion with a flat head 279 thatrides in two slots-tracks 280 on the east and west sided of 277. As 277is shifted south, it pulls 278 and as 278 is moved south the protrusionsOn the east and west of 278 ride the track/slot 280. The track 280 issloped so that as the tilted of 78 slopes more to the south. Thus as thesun ‘moves’ south in winter and set 277 collectors is adjusted toconcentrate light with from the south bias, the surface of all of thelenses 278 orient in a slope towards the south to reinforce thatsouthern correction.

At this stage in winter the light is focused on the photocell but wouldimpact it an angle where some may be reflected from to surface of thecell. To manage that possibility there is a strip of about three-fivesmaller Freneau lenses 281 that ride north south just over or on thesurface of the photocell. These set Freneau lenses each have aincreasing degree of light direction correction, from one being about 22degrees, the next being about 15 degrees, the next being about 7degrees, and the last being an open space. This set of about thesecondary collector lenses are repeated at each photocell. Thus as thesephotocells are in a line with spaces in between, the strip isaccommodated in that space. The movement north south of the strip willpresent the same degree of correction to all the photocells. Thiscorrection will manage the impacting light so that it correctly impactsthe surface of the cell at near 90 degrees and little or no light islost. One skilled in the art would recognize that these systems could beused with the solar collector of FIG. 2 as well.

FIG. 45 shows a building 410 incorporating several aspects of theinvention. Of particular interest, a track 412 that allows the roof lineof the building to be lower than embodiments having a pivot arm. If thesolar collector 440 is hinged about a pivot point 414, then the roofline 416 would have to be built as least as high as the pivot point.However, by moving the solar collector along an arc approximate the samefocal point 414 as the primary reflector 420, then the solar collector440 can follow the same path line as the pivoted version withoutrequiring the higher roofline. This allows for space 430 underneath thesolar roof to be used as living space or commercial space (such as forchicken housing, etc.). A greenhouse 432 may be incorporated asdiscussed above for incorporation into the HVAC system or for theproduction of plants. Bedrooms or other living spaces 434 436 may alsobe provided. A stack 438 may also be incorporated as part of the HVACsystem. FIG. 46 shows a similar system with a larger commercial space442 underneath.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, itis understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/oradaptations of the invention following in general the principle of theinvention and including such departures from the present disclosure ascome within the known or customary practice in the art to which theinvention pertains and as maybe applied to the central featureshereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention andthe limits of the appended claims. It is therefore to be understood thatthe present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment describedabove, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of thefollowing claims.

1. A solar collection system comprising: a primary reflector forreflecting sunlight onto a secondary collector, the primary collectorincluding a trough with reflective inner walls; a secondary reflectorhaving a pair downward facing photocells for collecting light from saidprimary reflector and converting the light into electricity, each ofsaid pair of photocells having walls extending outward from saidphotocells to concentrate light onto said photocell; said photocellsfacing at least 90 degrees from each other; a top mounted solarcollector for receiving light from above said pair of photocells' walls;a pair of diametrically faced bottom solar collectors for collectinglight that reflects off of said primary reflector to below said pair ofphotocell's walls.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said topsolar collector is a solar heater transferring solar heat to acirculating cooling fluid.
 3. The system according to claim 1, whereinsaid pair of bottom solar collectors are solar heaters transferringsolar heat to a circulating cooling fluid.
 4. A method of heating abuilding comprising: providing a building having an upper surface;providing at least one trough on the upper surface exposed to theatmosphere; forming a primary reflector in said trough for reflectingsunlight onto a secondary collector, wherein the trough includesreflective inner walls; providing a secondary reflector having a pairdownward facing photocells for collecting light from said primaryreflector and converting the light into electricity, each of said pairof photocells having walls extending outward from said photocells toconcentrate light onto said photocell; providing said photocells facingat least 90′ degrees from each other; providing a top mounted solarcollector for receiving light from above said pair of photocells' walls,wherein said top solar collector is a solar heater transferring solarheat to a circulating cooling fluid; providing a pair of diametricallyfaced bottom solar collectors for collecting light that reflects off ofsaid primary reflector to below said pair of photocell's walls; movingsaid cooling fluid to a heat exchanger to release heat from said topmounted solar collector to a desiccant heating pipe; heating thedesiccant to release water from the desiccant; capturing the fluid fromthe desiccant in a tank.
 5. The method of heating a building of claim 4,further comprising: a cable attached to said pair of photocell walls tochange the direction the opening defined by said walls; moving saidwalls with said cable to optimally direct said wall opening throughoutthe year to maximize light received by said pair of photocells;
 6. Themethod of heating a building of claim 4, further comprising: a cableattached to said pair of photocell walls to change the direction theopening defined by said walls; moving said walls with said cable tooptimally direct said wall opening to maximize light received from saidprimary reflector.
 7. The method of heating a building of claim 6,further comprising: providing a solar target separate from saidphotocells to measure the amount of light received by said primaryreflector.
 8. The method of heating a building of claim 6, furthercomprising: taking an infrared scan of at least one of the photocellsand photocell walls to determine the temperature distribution across thephotocell walls; changing the direction of opening of the photocellwalls based on said reading to maximize the light received by thephotocells from the primary reflector.